Category Archives: Block Swaps

This quilt is from the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler Swap Blue & Brown Swap back in October 2009. Looking black through the blog, it seems I made my blocks that August and September, 6 of 5 different blocks, then I made 2 more after the swap to have enough to complete this layout. The blocks are from around the world – Australia, Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the USA.

I made the setting blocks at a quilt retreat I went to in April 2012, but it still took me until that November to complete the top.

The backing is a braid/cable print that I picked up while on a quilt shop run at the retreat.

I found a length of leaf fabric in my stash — I think I got this from S last year when she was clearing out her stash. It wasn’t quite long enough to be a backing for Oklahoma Backroads, so I lengthened it. I’ve got a spool of khaki thread which will blend nicely with both the front and the back, so now all I have to do is sandwich the quilt and decide how I’m going to quilt it.

Since I hope to start quilting tomorrow, I needed to finish up any piecing I wanted to do. These are the two swap blocks, so now I need to get them in the mail.

The SBS BOW is done and the swap blocks for both January and February are done, so if I follow Wednesday’s plan, it’s time to tackle the border on Ladder to the Stars. The only problem with that plan is I’m itching to start the quilting on both the DWR and the music quilt.

This morning I received a squishy in my mail box. The Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler Blue & Brown Swap blocks. The blocks were from quilters all over the world. Australia, Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the USA.

Another month has gone by, so it’s time to review what I accomplished this month.

* Complete remaining 2 sets of blocks for the SBS Brown/Blue Swap

Finished and in the mail by 9/8

* Keep up with the SBS BOW

It was close, but all blocks were made and turned in on time.

* Work on Josh’s Quilt – needs to be off the frame by 10/15

3 1/2 blocks hand quilted — 1 1/2 blocks to go!

* Work on DWR – top needs to be done by 10/15

12 rings added to the quilt and 6 more are partially pieced

* Complete Finishing Instructions for both sizes of Kansas Spirit BOM

Small quilt needs one more correction. Large quilt about 50% done. (the easy 50%) 🙂

* Quilt a baby quilt

Ran out of time.

* Keep Scraps Cut Up

Well my scraps were cut up, but my friend’s scraps have filled the basket back up!

I also cut the gold fabric for my Ladder to the Stars quilt and I managed to not start anything new. What more can a girl ask for who has more UFOs and Quilt Tops than she can count on her fingers and toes?

All the sets are now done — and well ahead of the deadline. I need to make my labels and get them in the mail.

This block went together so much easier than the last one — none of those 1″ finished HST units. The brown fabric is some that came in last week from my friend. The blue with tiny dots was some I picked up to see if it matches a DWR I picked up at an estate sale (it doesn’t). Who knows when I picked up the background fabric.

This is the fourth of the five block sets I’m making for the SBS swap. I needed to make 5 to swap and a 6th to keep for myself, but I ran out of the beige fabric. I’ll dig around in my stash to find something similar to finish my block — but not tonight. I haven’t made this week’s SBS BOW. I’ve got another 23 hours to get it done and turned in. But first I’m headed to bed.

Since it appears that listing my quilting goals here and on a large printout by my computer helped, I’m doing it again.

* Complete remaining 2 sets of blocks for the SBS Brown/Blue Swap

G10 – Arizona

L6 – Steps to the Altar

* Keep up with the SBS BOW

* Work on Josh’s Quilt – needs to be off the frame by 10/15

* Work on DWR – top needs to be done by 10/15

* Complete Finishing Instructions for both sizes of Kansas Spirit BOM

* Quilt a baby quilt

* Keep Scraps Cut Up

This is a relatively modest list this month. But I’m itching to start something new and I have several kits so that might happen as well. On the other hand I realized today that I have more quilt tops waiting to be quilted than I do quilts in various stages of progress, so maybe I can talk myself into quilting 2 quilts instead of starting something new.

Work on DWR – top needs to be done by mid-October – got my templates today — Thanks Mark!

Make rest of Birthday Swap Blocks (4 more needed) Done 8/12

Quilt a baby quilt to get a finish! Replaced with new goal

Keep scraps cut up – so far so good

But what’s that picture of Kansas Troubles fabric doing at the top of this post? Well, this is how my goals change. Although the last block for the Kansas Spirit BOM at Heritage Fine Fabrics won’t be picked up until October, the fabric for the finishing kits need to be ordered now. And in order to know how much fabric to order, I’ve got to write up the instructions. I’ve got the easy part (for me) of the instructions written (setting blocks and triangles) so I now I get to test it. That’s bounced the baby quilt off my list. Oh and did I mention, that once I got the star blocks done, I decided I had to sew them together into a top?